Maxed Out
by BlackBear53
Summary: Deeks works a case with his old alias Max Gentry. It has become an uncomfortable reminder of his past. The team tries to help him with it. Thanks to Shane Brennan who made characters that are fun to play with.
1. Chapter 1

The night was cold and the wind gusted. September weather can be iffy by the shore. It's a time where temperatures can drop at night while the days stay warm and inviting but this night was far from inviting. There was a front coming in off the Pacific Ocean and it promised cold rain and fog.

The boardwalk had a slick of moisture on it and a figure approached through the fog. He was dressed in leathers, a t-shirt and biker boots, at first glance he was handsome. The look on his face made him anything but: it was angry, mean and cold. The look served him well. Most people in the area gave him a wide berth, when they acknowledged him at all. Those that chose to deal with him did so at their own risk. No, people didn't opt to deal with Max Gentry, it just happened.

The Perky Puffin was the only bar open tonight on the boardwalk. It's a seedy memory of what it used to be before its grandeur washed away with the tide. Most of the other bars had opted to close because their clientele chose to go elsewhere on this cold and blustery night. The boardwalk was pretty much empty.

Max had come to talk with one of his stoolies. He didn't know Max was coming.

The bartender looked up as Gentry came in and he nodded. He wanted to close and go home. No sense being open for two customers, Max's arrival made him choose otherwise. He'd seen what Max would do if you crossed him and it was brutal. With Max came a few rules. One was that you stayed open when he came in and the other was a shot positioned on the far end of the bar when he left. Keeping those two requirements kept his bar in one piece. When Max turned to look for his stoolie the bartender grimaced. He knew that Max could be serious trouble when he came around. He hoped his customer stayed on the right side of Max.

Max looked around the room for the man he needed. He took in the threadbare red rugs and the cracked leather seats at the booths that were marked with rings from the wet bottles of beer. The lights were on low to keep any unsuspecting patron unaware of how shabby the place really was. Many of the beer signs were only half lit due to the bulbs being blown and they were never going to be replaced.

He found his man and took a few seconds to check him out. Jackie Wilton was a low level street punk with a pill problem. He looked like it had been a few days since his last fix. He was sweaty and his eyes were red and blood shot.

Max walked over, took another look at him and shoved him into a corner. There was a deep feral growl before Max spoke. "Jackie… look at you man. What a mess. I can help you but I need something from you …information about Jerome Cryler and who he's working for these days?"

Jackie had a look of abject fear on his face but who he was afraid of was questionable. He knew what Max was capable of. He'd been on the receiving end of that; once. Jerome Cryler was just as bad but had muscle behind him, serious muscle. He was working for one of the cartels down in the south side of Los Angeles. "I, I don't know. Honest Max, I don't."

Max didn't buy it. He looked towards the bartender and the door and then he leaned into Jackie. He pushed him further into the wall with his arm across Jackie's throat. "I need to know… now… Jackie. I won't be able to help you when you go into complete withdrawal from whatever pills you've screwed up your pathetic life with." He hesitated just long enough for Jackie to have difficulty breathing. "Thinking time is up. What's it going to be Jackie?" Max pushed a little harder.

Jackie started to struggle against Max. He began to think Max was definitely scarier and began to motion for Max to stop. "I think he is working for the Southlands." His voice croaked as he spoke.

Max let up and backed away. "I'll be back if you're wrong and Jackie, you don't want that. Here's fifty dollars, get yourself some help. Stay away from the pills." Max tossed the bill on the floor in front of Jackie, turned and walked away. He stopped at the bar, looked around and took the requisite shot of whiskey, then walked out into the night.

Jackie straightened his clothing and swallowed. He then bent over and picked up the fifty and stuffed the bill into his pocket and went back to his drink.

The other patron of the bar stood up. She had sat back in the corner out of sight. Jackie had known she was there as had the bartender. Neither man wanted her to leave. She was a looker, a tall brunette with gorgeous, but curious eyes. She finished her drink, threw her cash on the table and moved, like the lioness she was, towards the door. Both men watched her leave.

* * *

The mission only had part of the lights on but the team awaited their own. Marty Deeks walked in the front door in the leathers, t-shirt and biker boots that typified Max. Kensi came in about five minutes later. Both were tired. It was after nine. Callen and Sam had hot coffee waiting for them and sandwiches. Eric and Nell had put the feed into the bullpen for them to use. Hetty had left an hour before their arrival.

Callen was ever the pessimist. "Is he telling us the truth? Dealing with the Southlands can get us all killed."

Deeks wasn't sure about the intel either. Jackie sometimes tried to hold out on him. It had been questionable using him. "Don't know. We could put feelers out in Southland territory and see what pops up. I could ask Lieutenant Bates to check it out for me."

Sam wanted to make sure they all came back from this job. "Do both, just don't let it come back to us. I don't trust anyone who isn't on this team."


	2. Chapter 2

Sam and Callen packed their bags and left. They both had homes and families to go to. Kensi and Deeks spent a few more minutes making notes about the events in the bar,

Deeks was the first to rise from his seat and he picked up his bag to go.

Kensi watched him as he went towards the door. "How about a dinner and a movie?"

As much as Deeks enjoyed and wanted her company, he wasn't feeling it tonight. "Kens, I want to go home, take a long hot shower, drink a beer or two and be alone." He turned to leave but she'd seen his expression and she knew; she knew his head zone right now. It happened like this every time he went under as Max. Kensi stood her ground as he turned his back on her. "You are not him."

He turned back on her with a snarl. "Then why do I feel like it? Every time I do this I feel… dirty. John Gordon Brandel is a part of me and I can't escape that."

Kensi went to him and took his hands to hold in hers. "You are not him and never will be. You are a kind, caring man; a man that I care about." She'd been looking for a smile from him but it never came.

Deeks looked at her. He wanted so much to hold her, to lay his head on her shoulder and cry. He wouldn't do that to her. She didn't need a sniveling, whiney partner in life or on the job.

Kensi could feel his pain pouring from him and didn't know how to stop it. She just held on tighter.

Deeks thought about tonight in the bar and what had happened there. He knew he was just on this side of control. What if he couldn't control it someday? He'd be as bad as the criminals they searched for, as bad as his father and that made him sad and angry. He felt another emotion, disgust, well up inside him. He shook her hands away from him. "I hate myself for being Max. Every time I jack someone up against the wall, I cringe. Did Jackie Wilton deserve that? Probably not, but I had no compunction against choking him out, none. what .so. ever and neither did my father. So tell me again how I'm not my father." He turned, almost ran out of the mission and away from her.

Kensi stood in the hallway watching him walk hurriedly away, from his pain and her. "You're not him." One tear rolled down her beautiful cheek.

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Callen woke to a beautiful California morning. He ate breakfast with his beautiful wife and his daughter whom he doted on. It couldn't get any better than this.

He picked up his bag and threw his jacket over his shoulder to use on the way home tonight. As he walked out of the house he noticed a car parked on the street, two houses down. It was out of place in this neighborhood but he knew who owned it. The midnight blue Maybach was a work of art only owned by the rich and powerful.

Callen texted Sam as he walked to his car. The plan, Sam would meet him at the boatshed. No sense in taking chances. The owner of the Maybach could go either way. G had learned that, years ago.

By the time Callen and Sam had arrived at the boatshed the Maybach was already waiting for them. One of the man's henchmen, aka bodyguard, was waiting outside of the car for them and spoke to Callen in Russian. "Mr. Kolchek wants to talk."

Callen got his smirk on. "Tell him to come inside. Maybe there'll be coffee waiting."

Sam didn't like the meeting or the man. Kolchek always felt smarmy to him, like when he smiles when telling you something that would get you killed.

Callen and Sam went in to wait for Kolchek. The coffee had just finished perking when Arkady walked in and sat at the table. "Timed that just right." G placed a mug of coffee in front of Arkady and waited a second or two for his 'friend' to start talking. "You wanted this, not me. So talk."

Arkady Kolchek was not one to hurry. He took his time when sharing information. "It is good to see you old friend." Arkady furtively glanced about the room. Callen sensed he was nervous about sharing the information. "I have some disquieting news for you."

Callen waited. Kolchek was not the only one that knew how to use silence as a weapon or an interest grabber. "We're waiting….for you."

This meeting was taking too long for Sam. He wanted to grab the rich Russian by his lapels and shake him. Callen knew this and still played the silent game with Arkady.

Arkady was still not ready to talk. You could see the ideas ruminating behind his eyes.

Callen shot Sam the "patience" look.

The silence of the room was broken with Kolchek's voice. "Jerome Cryler is not someone you should be looking at. He is not who he seems to be. The Southland's don't own him. He owns them, only they are too stupid to know it." He stopped talking and thought about what information he was sharing. "His real name is Piotr Ruschev. He is an evil man." Arkady watched Callen's face as he spoke. What he saw, was Callen's eyes minutely flinching at Ruschev's name. He knew it would be there.

G looked at Sam and saw no recognition to the name. He'd have to tell him about his connection to Ruschev after Arkady left. "What makes him so scary?"

Kolchek's face was a study of confusion for about two seconds. He understood that Callen hadn't shared his relationship with Ruschev with Sam and he wondered why? Even though it was a long time ago, it still had been important to Callen's development as a good agent. "Ruschev moved from the private sector of Russian commerce to the public but soon came to the conclusion that there was more money to be made in the private sector. He also realized that to make more money he needed some help. He joined forces with the Russian Mafia. He has been making his way up the ladder by doing odd jobs for them. This job is setting up a nuclear web here in Los Angeles."

Arkady rose to leave and as he walked past Callen he placed his hand on G's shoulder. "Be very careful my friend. He is very dangerous."

G looked at Kolchek's hand and followed it up the arm and to his face. Callen saw worry mixed with fear in his eyes. "I'll be real careful, okay?"

Kolchek nodded and walked out.

Sam watched Arkady's back as he left, not liking the man or the feeling of not knowing what was really going on. "What's with all the cloak and dagger behavior? And why do I feel like I'm missing something?"

Callen never took his eyes off Kolchek as he walked away. "Because you are." G got up and went for more coffee as he walked by, he silently asked if Sam wanted more. Sam shook his head no. "Poitr Ruschev was part of Operation Cossack. He was the man who brought Ethan Stanhope to the Russian Mob. He made millions behind Stanhope and his Russian oil deals. I'm sure he wasn't real happy with us for shutting Stanhope down. Now he has nuclear materials and a web to use them in Los Angeles. We'll have to see how we'll stop him." Callen took a minute to think about how to stop Ruschev. "Call Hetty and see about forming a task force to find them and shut it down."

Sam grunted and hit speed dial for Hetty.


	3. Chapter 3

The precinct where Deeks was assigned was a bustling place. The beat cops were bringing in their suspects and booking them and the detectives came and went with the information pertinent to their cases. It was a busy place.

Detective Marty Deeks ambled through the commotion to the elevator for the ride to the offices above. Lt. Bates office was on the third floor and that was his destination. He'd called and made an appointment with the Lieutenant earlier that morning and Bates awaited Deeks.

Lt. Bates came out of his chair and shook hands with Deeks. Ever since he'd been assigned to NCIS, Bates had been more considerate of Deeks and the work he did. "Well Deeks, what does the little ninja want now?" This was the usual opening that Bates used when Deeks came to call.

Deeks chuckled and shook his honey colored mane at Bates. "The little ninja wants nothing. I, however, need the whereabouts of Jerome Cryler. I heard through a snitch that he's working with the Southlands as a flunky."

Bate's head shot up. "Jerome Cryler? We've been keeping tabs on him but not as a flunky. We have him as a top dog. He's running a coke ring for them."

Deeks sought out the clock. It had always aided his ability to get his thoughts in order. "Why would my stoolie lie? Maybe he didn't know as much as he thought, or maybe I pushed him too hard."

The Lieutenant's phone rang. "Bates. Yeah? When? Give me the name. Okay, got it. Keep me apprised," He turned back to Deeks. "Hey kid, who's your snitch?"

Deeks brought his eyes back to Bates. "Why?"

Lieutenant Bates came around his desk and sat next to Marty. "We found a body at the beach. A young pill popper by the name of…"

Deeks sat back in the chair showing signs of new frustration. "Jackie Wilton. How'd he die and when?"

Bates knew that this would not go over well with Deeks. It never had and probably never will. He'd internalize it for a couple of days and then explode. Bates had never been around when it happened and it made him glad that he'd not been. Special Agent Blye was going to have her hands full for the next couple of days and he felt bad for her. "The body was found by a runner about six this morning. He'd been beaten up pretty bad and he'd been shot up with heroin and then thrown in the ocean.

Deeks seethed. "Heroin was not his Jones. He was a pill popper. He and I had a meet at the Perky Penguin last night. I went in as Max. I got a little rough with him but nothing like that. Who do we suspect?"

Bates sat back in the chair and shook his head. "Not all the evidence is in yet. We don't have any suspects yet."

Deeks got up to leave. "Keep me in the loop on this one please."

Bates could see that something was eating at the kid. He watched Deeks head for the door and walk away. "You got it kid." He intended to keep an eye on the young detective.

Hetty sat behind her desk with the mountain of paper work that is a requirement of the Operations Manager of NCIS-OSP. Nell was picking up information and gave Hetty some pertinent facts of an ongoing case. Hetty's computer was open on her desk and Nell had just picked up her electronic note pad and climbed the stairs to OPS. Hetty looked like she needed a cup of tea but it would have to wait.

Kensi had sat at her desk watching while Nell spoke with Hetty. Kensi wanted to talk with Hetty and while Deeks was out of the building it was an ideal time. Only problem was that Kensi didn't exactly know what to say about her partner.

Hetty glanced up and saw Kensi watching her. She waved Miss Blye over to the office and offered her a cup of tea. Kensi sat quietly waiting for the tea to be prepared. Hetty pondered over what could make Kensi so pensive. When tea was ready and served, Hetty sat in the chair next to Kensi. "What can I do for you Miss Blye?"

Kensi wasn't sure how to proceed. "It's about Deeks. Last night we went to talk to one of his informants. He used the Max Gentry alias. He got the information he was looking for but…he lost part of himself. He always does. He hates using the alias. It makes him edgy and hard. "

Hetty had felt that it disturbed him to use it as well, but she needed to quiz Kensi to find out why. "What is it that bothers him? What makes him hate it so much?"

Kensi looked away. It seemed like she was ratting out her partner and she never wanted Deeks to think that of her. How could she do this and not have him be angry with her? "He feels like he is so close to being his father and he hates that thought. I keep telling him that he is not Brandel but he's too close to it. He's afraid he won't be able to control it."

Hetty sipped her tea and thought about Mr. Deeks situation. Brandel was a bastard, but she never saw that in the detective. She saw a wonderful, insightful, funny man. He brought the levity to the team and they needed that. There job was too intense not to have it. "Miss Blye, what would you have me do in this situation?"

Kensi put her cup down; tea isn't exactly her thing. She checked out her nails and then spoke. "If it were my decision, I'd ban Max Gentry. I'd like him to invent a new alias that doesn't have the reminder of his father. I'd like to see him find a happier place to be in life, not living as if any moment he'll be that bastard." She smiled and realized how simple that sounded, but how difficult it would be to make happen.

Hetty placed her cup next to Kensi's and moved to her side of the desk. This job needed to be done by the boss not a friend. Hetty understood Kensi's reticence for his alias. It always came with an emotional price tag for the two of them. Mr. Deeks became cross and sullen and Miss Blye looked over her partner like a mother hen. She also took his behavior as if she should, like she deserved it. That might not be the best for their partnership or their friendship, or whatever it was. "You do realize that any alias he comes up with while he deals with the miscreants that Max deals with, will bring out those less than admirable attitudes that tribute to his self-loathing. Changing the name won't change the problem."

Kensi had thought of all the negatives that went with the request but she had to help Deeks. "Can we at least think about how to help Marty?"

Hetty nodded in compliance but didn't see how the two of them could make this work. She'd need to get some help. "I'll call Mr. Getz and see if he has any ideas. Will that suffice for now?"

Kensi accepted that for the moment. She rose to head back to her own desk.

"Miss Blye…" Kensi turned back to face her. "We'll get this done." Kensi smiled and went back to her desk.


	4. Chapter 4

After Kensi left for the day Hetty picked up a satellite phone and dialed a number she knew by heart, to one of the many places around the world that had trouble brewing.

It rang several times before a groggy voice answered. "Emmmm, Hello. Let me open my eyes. Hetty this better be good. This is the first sleep I've had in three days."

Hetty smiled to herself. She'd always known he'd be good at this. "Mr. Getz, we have a problem that I need your help with. It seems our Mr. Deeks is worried about being like his father. It has become a problem that Miss Blye cannot deal with any longer."

Nate came awake while Hetty spoke. Deeks psyche had always been the first one that he worried about as he was a tender soul. He wasn't a trained agent, though he is a topnotch undercover detective. His past with his father had been ugly and been bound to show up somewhere. "What happened to bring this about?"

Hetty knew she had his attention now. Nate had always looked out for Marty and Kensi. Callen and Sam were never really under his close scrutiny unless it held major ramifications for them. "Mr. Deeks went under as Max Gentry to get information on a case we're working. When he came back he was disturbed about how he handled the informant. He is having more and more difficulty with that particular alias. Kensi wants to ban it but that won't solve Mr. Deeks problem."

Nate found himself shaking his head and mentally agreeing with her. It would only postpone the inevitable. "Do you need me to come home and see him or just give advice?"

Hetty appreciated the offer to return home but he needed to stay where he was. The mission required him to be there. "No, Mr. Getz, stay where you are. What can we do to help Mr. Deeks?

Nate Getz realized that leaving his location would endanger the other agents in the area and make the problems that they were dealing with more dangerous. No, he needed to stay. "Hetty, he needs a lot of support and you and Kensi are the ones he trusts the most. Keep positive with him. Repeat over and over he is not John Gordon Brandel and he never will be. You may have to make Max a non viable alias for Marty's mental health, but, be aware he will try to transfer that persona to whatever new alias he makes up. All we can do is support him and hopefully it will work. Brandel made a huge impact on Deeks and none of it was good.

Hetty sat nodding her head. Mr. Deeks had undergone years of abuse at his father's hand and there really hadn't been much in the form of psychological repair for him. He'd managed to hide his pain under goofy behavior and helping people less fortunate than him. "Thank you Mr. Getz, go back to sleep now. Take care of yourself."

Nate smiled into the phone. "Thanks and good night Hetty."

Hetty hung up and wondered how to broach the subject to both Miss Blye and Mr. Deeks.

Deeks sat on the sand watching the ocean and waited for the waves to do what they've done for him since he was a child: calm him. It'd been over an hour and still his nerves and emotions jangled. Jackie Wilton was dead and for that he felt responsible and with that responsibility came great pain. It was his fault that Jackie was dead.

His phone rang and he glanced at it to see who called: Kensi. He knew what she wanted so he let it go to voicemail. Work could wait for a while more. He stood to walk the beach and met his partner head on.

Kensi stood in front of him with a look of exasperation. "You don't answer my calls anymore?"

Deeks smiled at her with his million dollar smile but it didn't seem to faze her. "Deeks, what's going on? We've got places to go and people to see. Let's go."

Deeks face turned away from Kensi and she saw pain etched across it. "Marty….talk to me. What's wrong?"

He sank back into the sand and as he sank he began to speak with a voice full of pain and broken spirit. "Jackie Wilton died this morning. He was beaten, shot up with heroin, thrown in the ocean and I did that to him."

Kensi had never heard him sound like that before. He didn't sound this bad after Siderov or her captivity in Afghanistan. This could destroy him. Kensi sat in the sand next to him. "How did you do this to him? Did you beat him up or shoot him full of heroin? No. Did you personally throw him in the ocean? I don't think so." She looked down the beach and back to Deeks. "Marty, Jackie Wilton did this to himself. He went to whoever did this to him by himself; he popped those pills all by himself. All you ever did was care about him and try to help him. No Deeks, you didn't do this."

Deeks still searched the water for the solace he needed. "I didn't try hard enough or in the right way. He needed help from a good man, someone who wanted more for him and I wasn't that person."

Kensi's heart almost broke listening to those words. "What makes you think you're not that person?"

A tear rolled down Marty's face and then a small, but cynical laugh came from him. "I'm not a good man; I am my father. Why can't you see that?"

Kensi had been watching the ocean too but now she turned to him and forced him to face her. "I can't see it because it's not there to see. Do you think your father came to the beach and cried after he beat you or your mom? I don't think he did. Did he ever feel bad for beating you? No. That's the difference Deeks, you do care. You are sitting here crying for a man you hardly knew. You feel responsible for him and so many others. You spend time at the homeless shelter and I know you do pro bono work for that same shelter. Your "so called" father wouldn't have done that. So don't tell me you are your father. You can't ever be him. You my friend, are a much better man than he could ever have been."

Deeks phone rang. Both he and Kensi grimaced at the interruption. Caller ID said Callen. "Deeks. What's up Callen?... She's here with me….. We'll be there in twenty…..Yep." He spoke to Kensi before returning to the phone call. "Callen has some information. I'm waiting on Lieutenant Bates for information on Jerome Cryler." Deeks hung up. "Let's go Partner."


	5. Chapter 5

The ride back to the Mission was quiet: too quiet. Deeks hadn't said a word the entire drive and it was beginning to concern Kensi. He is never silent. He stared out the side window watching the city go by, but in reality he never saw a thing. The only thing he saw was his last image of Jackie Wilton burned into his memory.

Callen and Sam met them in the bullpen with Eric and Nell. A casual glance at Deeks told Callen that something was wrong but he plowed right through anyway. "We met with an informant this morning and found out that this case is a lot more convoluted than we thought. Jerome Cryler is a pseudonym. His real name is Piotr Ruschev. He works in conjunction with the Russian Mafia. He is here to set up a nuclear web in downtown Los Angeles. We believe that he is using the Southlands as his personal delivery service."

Deeks finally got in the game. "So we know this for sure? Who's your informant?" Sam grunted and Deeks knew who. "Arkady Kolchek?" He looked away and nodded his head. "What does he have to gain from this?" Callen set his mouth and Deeks sensed his displeasure. "We have the right to know who gave you this information and just how dangerous this situation could be."

Callen turned to Sam and Sam nodded his agreement with Deeks. "Yes it is Kolchek. He knows Ruschev, as do I. He was part of Operation Cossack back when I was with the DEA. Have Kensi fill you in on that case. He got Ethan Stanhope involved in the Russian oil deals back then. It all came back to haunt us later. Stanhope tried to have everyone involved in the operation killed. He almost succeeded. I have five bullet scars to show for it. Now you have it; are you happy?"

Deeks looked around at his partners and shook his head no. "Not even close today, but I'm okay with Arkady." He never even cracked a smile.

Callen looked to Kensi and through her, he felt Deeks pain. He'd get back to her later to find out what went wrong. The look on their faces brought his anger level back down. "Ruschev is as mean as a snake and twice as sneaky. He will try to stay two steps ahead of us, but we've got to be better than him. Any ideas of how we should do this?"

Kensi was concerned with where the nuclear material would come from. "How will he get his hands on that much material for the web? Maybe the question should be how much will he need?"

Callen pivoted towards Eric. "Have we had any reports of stolen uranium or other nuclear materials that have gone missing?"

Eric began typing into his mini-pad and it brought information up on the screen in the bullpen. "This is just in. This morning Pacific Medical Center reported that a large shipment of Cobalt 14 was high jacked on the way to the facility. There was a lot of nuclear material in that shipment."

Hetty came into the bullpen at that moment. "The NETTS Teams have been dispatched to find the location of the materials. What else do we have to date on this problem?"

Callen pulled his gaze from Deeks. Sometime during the conversation he'd looked back at him. There was no trace of the joy that Marty usually found in life and it had Callen worried. What was the connection between his pain and this case? He watched Deek's face as he spoke to Hetty. "The person responsible for this is Jerome Cryler, otherwise known as Piotr Ruschev. He is here at the bequest of the Russian Mafia to set up a nuclear web somewhere in downtown Los Angeles. We don't know where yet but we're working on it.

Hetty took her eyes off of the screen and scrutinized Callen. "Piotr Ruschev? Why do I know that name?" She didn't wait for an answer. "Oh…It's Operation Cossack and Ethan Stanhope all over again. Will that case never end?"

Sam moved from his desk to better see the screen and to stand next to Deeks. He felt the pain emanating from the detective. Since the Siderov case, Sam had been watching over him like a big brother: sometimes overtly, but mostly not. Deeks would not have appreciated the intrusion. Sam looked at Kensi and understood that she knew what caused the pain Marty was feeling. Callen met his eyes and nodded as if to say "later." Sam nodded back to him. They'd help their little brother shortly.

Hetty watched all that went on around her and knew she had to do something. When she got a minute she'd call Lieutenant Bates. "I will keep in contact with the NETTS team and fill you in when we have something. Meanwhile see what you can come up with on Ruschev." She turned and went back to her office to make her calls.

Deeks walked away from the group, got coffee and went to sit in the lounge area. He needed the time alone to think of what to tell Callen. Was he going to be able to get through this case without flipping out when they caught Cryler: no Ruschev? He wanted justice for Jackie Wilton.

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Callen watched Deeks in the lounge area and could feel his brother's pain from there. "Kens, what's going on with him?"

Kensi looked at her partner and sighed. "The informant he went to see last night…Jackie Wilton…was found dead on the beach. He'd been badly beaten, shot up with heroin and thrown in to drown. He found out about it this morning when he met with Lieutenant Bates. He is also suffering from John Gordon Brandel syndrome. His meet with Wilton last night set off his insecurities about being like his father. Hetty and I are going to get him some help with it, if he accepts it."

Sam looked at the man he owed so much to and shook his head. "How can he think he is anything like his father? He's a good man, a man who gives more than he receives and goes out of his way to look out for those with less than him. I followed him to the food shelf and watched him unload case after case of canned goods that he had purchased. I'm impressed by the man and I hate seeing him this way. As much as I hate to say it, this is not normal."

Callen kept watching Deeks. He knew what this felt like, in a way. You don't have anyone to look up to in your family. You find outsiders to fill those positions and you always wonder if you are really like any of your parents. He got up and walked to the lounge area and rested his hand on Deek's shoulder. "When we find him, you can arrest him."

Deeks looked up at the team leader, thought about it for a few seconds and nodded acceptance. "Thanks. Now how do we find him?"


	6. Chapter 6

Up in OPS Nell perused the records of the Southlands phones. Most used cheap burn phones but not Jerome Cryler. He had an expensive phone, a nice phone, one that Nell could trace. Nell wondered why he didn't use a burn phone like the rest of the crew? What she found connected him to the Southlands and their burn phones. She also found phone calls to the Russian Consulate. Who he called there remained in question but she'd keep searching.

OPS door slid open and Eric entered whistling. "Callen wants us to find a police record on Jerome Cryler. Maybe that will give us his address.

Nell smiled up at Eric. She really did like working with him. Between the two of them they solved so many problems and she liked that. She'd heard what the others called them: The Wonder Twins. It was a nice nickname for their duo. Her eyes went back to the screen. "I'm looking at the GPS locator in Cryler's phone." She typed a command into the computer and brought up the GPS coordinates. Her analytical mind saw the dots on the screen and began to interpret the information she saw there. She read patterns in his travels and some of them were repeated several times.

Eric was punching into the LAPD criminal record bank. He searched for a few minutes and found what he needed. He put the records for Jerome Cryler on the big screen. "Nell, look at this. He's been arrested four times for minor indiscretions such as petty theft, jaywalking, shop lifting and speeding. If that is all why is LAPD watching him? Why would he allow himself to get arrested for petty offenses?" Eric was confused and spun his chair to look to Nell. She herself wore a confused look. "Nell? Are you alright?"

Nell spun around to face Eric but she looked right through him. "Hmmmmm…I need to see Hetty." She rose and left OPS.

Eric turned back to his desk, picked up his phone and dialed a number he knew by heart. "Callen, I've got some information that you might want to see and Nell just went to see Hetty. I'm pretty sure we'll all be meeting up here shortly. I give you a whistle."

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Callen watched his team go about their business. Each one of them a perfect fit for this team. Each of them had their own foibles but that made them ideal for this job. Kensi's past with the murder of her father, Deeks with an abusive childhood and he with a lost past gave the team a look into the seedier side of life. Sam's normal childhood and Seal training made him the perfect foil for the team and their abnormal lives. Callen looked at the family he'd acquired and smiled for they were just that: family.

Hetty stopped by the entrance to the bullpen and looked about at her children. She knew they were the best team she'd ever worked with but she hoped they'd all come back from this one. "We are needed in OPS so follow me." Each one of them would follow her anywhere and they have on many occasions so they did just as she asked and followed her up the stairs to the OPS center.

As they strode in Callen called out to Eric. "What do we have Eric?"

Eric gave the floor to Nell. "My lady…."

Nell chuckled and smiled at her partner. "Thank you kind Sir." She then turned to her computer and put up the overlays of the GPS tracking of Cryler's phone. "Here is the tracking of Cryler's phone. It shows his whereabouts for the last seven days.

Callen's face showed his confusion. "Why is this important and what exactly are we looking at Nell?"

Nell never missed a beat. She'd known the question was inevitable. "We are looking at where Cryler has been for the past seven days. If I high-light certain points, like this, we see where he spent time." She added red shading to some of the points on the screen. "There are five locations that he went to, a lot. Hetty has sent the NETT team to those locations. There is another location where Cryler spends a lot of time. We think it's his apartment. That address is in your phones."

Nell nodded to Eric and he bowed to his lady. "Thank you My Lady… The arrest records you asked for were interesting. He'd been arrested for minor offenses like shop-lifting, jay walking and speeding. I'm thinking initiation into the Southlands."

Callen thanked both the intelligence wizards and turned to the rest of the team. "Deeks, Kensi go see Bates and find out what they've kept from us. Sam and I are going to pay Mr. Cryler a visit."

Deeks and Kensi left OPS and Sam and Callen turned to leave as well.

Hetty had listened very carefully to all that had been said. "Mr. Callen you have a personal involvement with Cryler. Be very careful. Mr. Hanna, bring him home please."

Sam nodded and Callen gave her his smirk and they walked out of OPS.

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Kensi and Deeks strode into LAPD headquarters after a silent ride. Deeks had called and were told that Lieutenant Bates was in the office today. When they arrived they were ushered into the Lieutenant's office. "Hey Kid, how are you doing? Special Agent Blye can I get you some coffee?"

Kensi watched both men. Her partner was angry and the lieutenant wasn't sure how to approach Deeks.

Deeks wanted to keep Bates off kilter. "Yeah, we'll each have one. Kensi takes hers with two sugars. I'll have the same, no milk in either."

Kensi had been going to say no but when she looked at Deeks she saw the pain behind his eyes and the anger that simmered just under the surface. She opted to have the coffee.

When the coffee was in their hands and the first sips were taken Lieutenant Bates curiosity got the better of him. "What can I help NCIS with today?

Marty didn't feel that LAPD had been honest with him and that pissed him off. "Why are you looking at Cryler? He has a list of petty crimes on his record. LAPD doesn't watch a common criminal that hard. What is really going down?"

Bates decided to give Deeks some of the answers he was looking for. "He came on our radar about six months ago. Those minor crimes were his ticket into the Southlands. What we were really looking at was the illegal entry into the United States and his association with the Southlands. We were also looking at the connection between him and the Molina Cartel. They are all in bed together. Our informant also told us they had a need for radioactive material."

Deeks eyes came up to meet Bates. "Who is your informant? Is he reliable?"

Lieutenant Bates always knew that Deeks was a good cop and that he was an even better detective. He actually respected him unlike most of the cops in the precinct. He didn't want to lie to Marty, he just wasn't at liberty to divulge what he knew. Deeks would have to guess and that would piss him off. Deeks would have to live with it. "Matty O'Reilly died on Monday. His funeral is Saturday."

Deeks watched Bates with a quizzical look. "Yeah, I know. I'll be there if this case is done. How about Jerome Cryler?"

Bates kept it up. "Nate Jones' funeral was last week. I didn't see you there and Cassandra Wilkins' was two weeks ago and I didn't see you there either."

Kensi felt exasperated and frustrated. Why couldn't Bates just give them the answers they needed. "We need an answer on Cryler, can't you just tell us about him?"

Lieutenant Bates just shrugged her off. "No Special Agent Blye, I can't. LAPD wants to keep this in our house, not yours.

Deeks examined Bates face and eyes across his desk. He bit his bottom lip and tossed his blond locks, nodded once and stood. "Let's go Partner!"

Kensi eyed Bates and when Lieutenant Bates looked back he saw confusion painted across her face. She looked from Deeks to Bates and back and then she stood to follow her partner out the door.

Bates face showed contentment. Deeks had picked up on what he had been told and put two and two together. He'd watch his back or have his beautiful partner do it. Maybe in the process he'd take out Cryler as well. Bates didn't really care who took him down but the brass did and Deeks still belonged to the police force after all.

Kensi followed Deeks from Bates office, down the elevator and to her car. Once inside her anger and confusion burst forth. "What the hell just happened in there? We didn't get anything from him. You just looked at him and said lets go... why?"

Deeks gazed across the car into her mismatched eyes, gave her one of his megawatt smiles and started to laugh. "We got more than you think. How do you feel about watching my back for the next few days?"

Kensi still looked bewildered. "What are you talking about? What does anything he told us have to do with anything? I'm so confused."

Deeks became extremely serious. "Bates told us about three detectives who've died in the last three weeks. All of them were murdered and all three had the same informant."

The light went on in Kensi's eyes. "Jackie Wilton? Is that why you want me to watch your back?"

Deeks gazed into the eyes of his girl. "Yup, I have a feeling that I am next and Bates thinks so too, that's why he gave me the heads up even when he knows that LAPD wants to solve it in house. Let's go back to OPS."

The ride back to the mission was a silent as the ride to LAPD. Both the agent and the detective wove what they knew into a scenario that they would share with the rest of the team. By the time they reached the mission both phones began to buzz. "Deeks. Yeah, we're on the way. San Jose Street, 1600 block? Yep, we're on it." He hung up and turned to his partner. "Hit it Partner, they're in trouble.


	7. Chapter 7

Sam drove the Challenger toward San Jose Street and street after street were places that most of the citizens of Los Angeles would be proud to call home. As they grew closer to the target area one by one the streets became less attractive and more the enclave of gangs and cartels. Street by street it became drabber and more of a war zone the further in Sam drove.

San Jose Street was probably the worst. Most of the homes or what was left of them were bullet ridden or burnt out hulks of what they'd once been. Graffiti had been painted on most of the businesses including the ones still in business. Store signs were faded and iron bars covered the plate glass windows to deter those that would help themselves to others property. Even the homes still lived in had iron grates on their windows to keep the riff raff out of their houses.

On the street were several cars up on blocks or just sitting on their hubs on the ground like a silent ode to the harshness of life on San Jose Street. Trash blew about as if it had been freed to wander. In reality the trash pick-up in the neighborhood is sporadic at best because not even the trash men wanted to come into the 'hood.'

The people who lived in the area looked as dilapidated as the neighborhood. Most were older people without anywhere else to go. All of them had the faded look of the signage and the crumbling look of the paint. All of them were sad caricatures of the area they lived in. The only healthy looking people of the neighborhood were the gang members. They carried themselves with pride and sass. They were the colors of the area.

The Challenger pulled up behind one of the wrecks on the street and when Sam and Callen stepped out of the vehicle a shot rang out and whizzed past the hood of the car. Both men had donned the Kevlar vests back at OPS. They dove to the rear of the car to get the extra weapons and both were on high alert.

A voice came from a porch several apartments down the street. "Agent Callen, it is so good to see you again. I'd so hoped we'd meet while I'm here."

Callen met Sam's eyes and nodded. "Cryler, we'd like to talk to you about some radioactive material your boys have taken."

Cryler spoke again. "Come now Callen, you do know who I am don't you? Piotr Ruschev? I befriended you and Ethan Stanhope. He asked me to kill you, did you know that? Imagine my surprise to find out you're still alive. Excuse me; you and Arkady Kolchek are still alive. I'm going to have to remedy that, soon."

Callen's face showed his trademark smirk and Sam noticed it. "Don't let him get under your skin and make you do something stupid."

G and Sam looked around the area to see if they could locate any would be shooters before they moved out. Sam found several locations and G found two obvious ones.

Ruschev spoke again. "Come on Callen let's talk. I'm coming out. If you shoot me, you and your partner will become casualties of the neighborhood."

G's temper began to rise with the comment from Ruschev. "We don't want to shoot you, just talk to you. We need to know about the nuclear web you've built. We don't care about you, just the citizens of Los Angeles."

Callen and Sam heard a loud laugh come from the porch three doors down. They'd located Ruschev. Without a word both men split up and took either side of the street. Both carried their side arms and an assault rifle. Sam and G both heard in their com unit that Kensi and Deeks were three minutes out and would back them up. G acknowledged them as he ran down an alley.

Sam had taken the far side of the street and was creeping slowly through back alleys and side yards. He'd made it through one yard when he came under fire from three sides. He ducked into a porch and hid behind an old couch that some vagrant had dragged out from inside. "I'm under fire, three shooters. I can't see them."

Kensi and Deeks were seconds away and made plans on how to help Sam and G.

Kensi's voice came over the com units saying that she was headed to Sam and Deeks would be backing up Callen.

Sam gave an okay to the plan and Callen continued after his quarry.

The gunfire continued to target Sam even if it were sporadic. He guided Kensi to the first shooter.

Kensi slipped into the porch where the member of the Southlands stood aiming in Sam's direction. She slipped in behind him and slipped her arm around his neck. She proceeded to cut off the air to his lungs by squeezing his windpipe. It is a precise way to put bad boys to sleep. If they squirm too much it can be permanent.

Sam then told her where he thought that the second shooter was on the top of the deserted garage across the alley from him.

Kensi watched for a second and saw as the shooter popped his head up to take a shot. She immediately moved to the stairwell on the side of the building that led to the roof. There was a straight line of sight to the shooter. There would be no stealth or secrecy on this take down. Before she went over the side onto the roof she asked if Sam could take a shot at this bad boy. He agreed to it and took the shot getting the Southlander to stand and aim. Kensi used that time to tackle the shooter and take him down with a punch to the neck. He was handcuffed before he knew it. "Where's our third shooter?"

"I'm not sure. I think that he is a mover. I will keep watch for him." Sam hadn't heard or seen the third shooter in a while. It made him think that this one takes a shot and moves. They both had to watch for him and their backs.

Callen had taken the near side and also travelled through the back yards and alleyways. He got to the house where Ruschev hid and entered by the back door. The house looked like it had been abandoned many years ago. The animals, both human and not, had destroyed what was left of the inside. He moved slowly and with as little noise as possible so that he'd not be noticed by Ruschev. Callen heard movement coming back through the house. He moved into a side hallway, put his rifle against the wall and held his Sig at the ready.

Ruschev moved quickly towards the back door. He didn't realize that G had moved as fast as he did.

Callen took the moment to let Ruschev know he was there. "Ruschev, stop! Put your weapon on the floor and back away from it."

Ruschev, who'd been taken by surprised, turned with his hands in the air and slowly placed his weapon on the trash strewn floor as Callen told him. "Well Callen… I see you've found me. Now what do we do? I can't allow you to arrest me you know."

Callen chuckled at Ruschev's statement. "I really don't think that you are in any position to argue an arrest. I have you as a person in charge of a nuclear web being set up in Los Angeles. My partner, Detective Deeks wants you in connection with the death of Jackie Wilton." Callen noticed a narrowing of Ruschev's eyes. "Why exactly did he have to die? Why were you afraid of a lowly pill popper?"

Ruschev eyed Callen and then looked away. He'd never admit to killing a low-life like Wilton. The Southlands would cop to that one. The detectives that had died and the one left to go were necessary to the mission. Jackie Wilton told them too much and he didn't want to go to jail. The least of what might happen to him was deportation but he wouldn't hold his breath for that. "You do know that the money for your death is still available? I can still cash in on it. Stanhope left it in a bank for me to pick up when you and Kolchek are dead. Kolchek died by another's hand, but not you. I will kill you."

Callen watched his eyes and saw a micro-second before Ruschev moved. "Don't move."

Ruschev pulled a knife from his pocket and threw it at Callen striking him in upper leg and then Ruschev bolted through the back door and out into the alley. Callen hit the com unit and told the team where he was and that he'd been knifed.

Sam heard those words and started to move. "We're coming to you."

Kensi had made her way to Sam. "We're going but we need to make sure we're not targeted. Let's watch out backs."

Sam nodded and they moved out across the road.

Deeks had heard the message and called Eric for an ambulance. He moved into the house where Callen lay on the filthy floor. He knelt down next to G. "Ambulance is on the way G. Which way did Ruschev go?"

Callen knew that Deeks shouldn't go alone to get him. "Wait, Deeks. Sam and Kensi will be here soon. Wait for them."

Deeks looked back at him. 'If I wait, he'll get away. I'm going." He moved out the door and into the alley.

As Deeks ran out the door Callen called out after him. "Deeks, stop!" He knew that Marty was going after Ruschev because of Wilton. What he didn't know is that Deeks also had the mission from LAPD. His intent was because of the trio of detectives that Ruschev had taken out; Jackie Wilton was secondary.

Sam and Kensi came through the back door moments after Deeks went out. Sam looked for and found his partner. He checked the wound and saw the knife still in place.

Callen looked up at Sam and Sam saw the worry in G's eyes. "Deeks went after Ruschev. Kensi, go after him. Make sure he's okay." Kensi nodded and left but not before G saw concern in her face.

Sam's worry for his partner showed in his face. "The ambulance is on the way. How many more times do I have to do this G?"

Callen grimaced through the pain but kept his cheeky self in full swing. "Do what Sam?"

Sam just smiled and nudged his partner's shoulder.


	8. Chapter 8

Deeks moved with caution towards an old garage just off the alley. As he crept past an open garage bay a knife whizzed past his head. It had been deliberately thrown to miss him. Out of the corner of his eye the detective caught movement in the open bay. He turned to find Ruschev grinning at him.

Ruschev knew that Deeks would follow him. He'd seen him go into the house where Callen lay bleeding as he checked behind him while he escaped. He knew that the deaths of the three officers and that insipid stoolie would get under Deek's skin and Marty Deeks, aka Max Gentry, would come after him. Now he had the detective where he wanted him: alone and vulnerable.

What Ruschev didn't understand was the clarity that Deeks felt at this moment. Sure the thought of the three detectives, Wilton and Callen weighed on him but right now this was about him. Deeks walked towards Ruschev watching for any signs of weapons. Ruschev made no moves toward him.

Ruschev watched him come and started to smile. "Max Gentry, I presume? I knew you'd come after me. I made you angry by having your snitch killed."

Deeks glanced away from Ruschev for just a moment. He examined, mentally, why he was here. Was it Jackie or all of the LAPD and the respect he desired from them? Was he here because his father never thought he'd amount to much and he wanted to prove him wrong? Or was he really his father's son and wanted a reason to pummel this man to death? He decided that he had to beat Ruschev being Marty Deeks not John Gordon Brandel but he decided to use Max to get Ruschev. "It pisses me off that I don't have Wilton to give me info, yeah, it does. It pissed me off even more that a weasel like you offed him. I intend to take you down. You can go easy or not. Personally I'd like the chance to beat your ass to a pulp." Max's voice always was cold but he'd turned down the temperature and now it was icy. It held a sense of determination that most wise men took notice of and would leave him alone.

Ruschev didn't know any better. He decided to goad Deeks. "I sent my Southland friends to deal with Wilton; they went a bit too far. He knew too much and eventually he'd have spilt it to you and the other officers he spoke to. He told bits and pieces of the plan to each of the detectives and they were beginning to put it together. I had to take care of that. My superiors would not have liked that. "

Deeks became enraged but still kept he aura of cool with Ruschev. "About those detectives, they were people that I admired. They had families that needed them and you took their lives without blinking. It's time to go. Turn around and put your hands behind you."

Ruschev shrugged and turned away from Deeks. Marty took it as a sign that he could cuff him. When he got closer the Russian spun on his heel and caught Deeks to the side of the head, knocking him to the floor of the garage. "It's your turn to die, you and Callen." He dove on top of Deeks and gave a couple of solid punches to his gut. Deeks got his hands around Ruschev's face and pushed him off. Marty punched the Russian in the mid-section with a one-two punch and moved in to jack him against the grimy wall of the garage. Ruschev got in another punch to the detectives abs and Deeks succeeded in getting Ruschev where he wanted him.

By this time Deeks had transformed fully into Max Gentry. He leaned his arm into Rushev's throat cutting the air to his lungs a little. Ruschev sneered at Marty. "You think that this will intimidate me? I have been tortured by better men than you."

Max sneered back at the man. "But none of them were as angry as me. I am angry about Wilton but those three detectives that died all had families that loved and cared for them, who needed them and who those officers loved and needed in return. You took them from their families and the LAPD wants you. Deeks leaned into him a little harder and Ruschev began to take Max a little more seriously. "You know I could kill you for what you've done. No one would argue with me about your resisting arrest. You struggled just a little too much. I had to subdue you. The only two that would know the truth would be you and I and I'm not telling and you won't be able to." Max waited for the threat to sink in and then smiled an evil smile. "How's that for scary?"

Kensi had just come through the garage door just a Deeks spoke those words. She stopped in her tracks and wondered if he'd really sank that low. She hoped not but with Max Gentry you'd never know. "Deeks, don't do this. He's really not worth it."

Deeks looked back at her. He laughed the cold cynical laugh of Max's. "You're right he's not worth it. Those three cops had more worth in their pinkies than he does in his whole body. Turn around Ruschev." Deeks pulled out the zip ties and started cuffing Ruschev. As he cinched the zip ties he began a litany. "Nathaniel Jones was a father, husband and fifteen year veteran of the LAPD. Cassandra Wilkins, ten year veteran, had been married for four years and had just found out she was pregnant. Matthew O'Reilly had a wife and three children. He was an eighteen year veteran and a combat veteran as well. He'd just made Detective first class." He made his point with a sharp snap of the zip ties. "These are the live you snuffed out without a second thought. They were upstanding members of the community. Then there was Jackie Wilton…definitely not a pillar of society, just a poor soul with an addiction problem. He wanted to be someone so he gave us information." Marty looked down in shame. "We all used him." Deeks turned to face the garage door and saw movement across the way.

Kensi slid over to help Deeks move Ruschev out. She'd noticed the same flicker of movement that Deeks saw. She pulled her Sig out and aimed it across the way. Sunlight glinted off of something metallic, presumably a gun barrel. "Deeks move Ruschev further back into the garage, into the shadows." All three of them moved back. Agent Blye's keen eyesight picked up the man on the opposite side of the street. "Go out the backdoor, into the alley."

Deeks nodded and moved Ruschev out the back and into the alley leading back to the building where he'd left Callen. Hopefully the police and ambulance had arrived to help Callen. Deeks moved them forward and Kensi brought up the rear. Kensi hoped that the shooter would follow them and they could catch him. If he didn't they'd zip tie Ruschev and go after him. They moved from one dumpster to another dumpster, hiding behind them. At last the shooter made a move and Kensi spotted him. Every once and a while he'd check for a shot. They never gave him the opportunity.

The follower, who belonged to the Southlands, was good, only Kensi and Deeks were better. They zipped tied Ruschev to a dumpster and hid behind it. The Southland boy sneaked up on the dumpster. He hadn't seen them leave the area. When he came around the corner he got the surprise of his life, a Sig Sauer to the left of his head and a Beretta to the right side. He placed his weapon on the ground and let Kensi cuff him. Deeks and Kensi led both Ruschev and the Southlander back to Callen and Sam.

LAPD and the ambulance had arrived and took both of the men off their hands. Callen was being loaded onto the ambulance and Sam was on the phone with Hetty. Kensi checked on him and saw that the knife was still in his leg. Callen gave his usual smirk but took her hand. "You and Deeks caught him? Are you both alright?"

Kensi nodded in response. "We're fine. Deeks used Max to get to Ruschev. His voice sounded colder than I've heard him. It doesn't seem to be bothering him. I need to get back and make sure."

Callen, pleased with Max's appearance and no bad vibes, smiled at Kensi. "You both did well. Let Deeks know that he did good."

The ambulance crew told Kensi it was time to go and she went back to her partner and Sam. "What did Hetty say?"

Sam chuckled and turned back to them. "She said she'd meet Callen at Pacific General and make sure he stays there until Sara arrives. Between the two of them, he'll stay. Oh she also said 'good job'."


	9. Chapter 9

Early Saturday morning Hetty Lange sat at her desk and went through the protocols for the work she needed to do on that day. As she perused the list she heard the scraping of chair wheels on the floor of the bullpen. She lowered the screen of her laptop and looked out at the floor. "As I live and breathe…." Marty Deeks sat at his desk, in his LAPD dress uniform. He'd cleaned up and even shaved.

Hetty rose from her desk and stood in the entry way to the bullpen. "Good Morning Mr. Deeks. You're looking particularly dapper this morning. Is there anything special on your agenda today?"

Deeks looked up from the paperwork he'd been working on. "Good morning Hetty, and yes, finishing up my paperwork and attending Mattie O'Reilly's funeral. It seems I've missed two others."

Hetty nodded. "Yes you have. Unfortunately we've been busy, too busy. I am sorry Mr. Deeks." She turned to walk away and remembered something. She returned and walked to stand in front of his desk. "Lieutenant Bates sends his thanks for the apprehending and subsequent arrest of Piotr Ruschev aka Jerome Cryler. LAPD brass, however, wanted to get him themselves and in a way they did, but they are complaining about our interference…again." She turned to walk away again. "Mr. Deeks, join me in my office for tea. I have a fresh pot ready for us."

Deeks was confused as to what this might be about but he gave her his megawatt smile. "Let me put this away and I'll be right in."

Hetty nodded and went to her office.

Polite requests from the Little Ninja always made him nervous. He put his file back together and ambled towards the office. He walked in questioning her with his eyes. "Am I in trouble Hetty?" He gave her another of his smiles.

Those smiles almost melted her heart…almost. She gave him one of her looks that say 'Should you be?'

Deeks smiled back at her and laughed as he tossed his mop of blond hair. "I guess not."

Hetty pushed a cup of Darjeeling tea toward him and motioned for him to drink. He nodded in acceptance, picked up his cup and took a sip. "Are you alright Mr. Deeks?" She brought her cup to her lips and sipped her tea and then continued. "Your partner is worried about you. It seems that Max Gentry has become a problem for both you and her. Your partner would like to make it a non-viable alias just because of how it makes you feel and the residual pain it causes everyone around you."

Marty took a sip of tea and thought about his alias and what had happened during this case. "I don't want to stop using him, but I will refrain from using him as often. Does that help?"

Hetty paused a moment, meeting his gaze. "Will it help you? I spoke with Mr. Getz and he said that what you're feeling comes with a cumulative effect. Eventually you will not be able to put it behind you. You need help working through this and Mr. Getz has offered to come home to help you through this. If you need him, I'll have him come."

Deeks took another sip of his tea. He thought about his past, the care the team gave him and the worry that his partner and friend had for him. "There are times, Hetty, when I feel so much like him and I can control those urges, usually. But then….there are the times that I can't and that is what sets me off. Those intense feelings of hate and self-loathing are what get me into these funks. I know that Kensi also feels those emotions and I feel bad about that." He took another sip and looked into the bullpen. He came back to the conversation and perhaps he showed a bit of anxiety. "The interaction between Max and Jackie probably didn't have to be that harsh as it was. I should have had better control than I did. I just fall into the man who did that to me so often. I've never really beaten any of my snitches but I do jack them up. I had a good teacher for that. Every time I do that I think am I like him? Would I fall into beating a wife or a child like that? I know that I'm supposed to be acting the part but …" His face showed the fear that the memories caused for him.

Hetty let her gaze float around her office and out onto the floor of the mission. She thought about the abuse the young Martin Brandel had suffered at the hands of his father and what Brandel had done to his wife. He truly was a bastard. It disgusted her that he'd never really been punished for that. He'd just gone to jail for petty theft and public intoxication. "Mr. Deeks we all understand that your life has had its difficulties but we all believe you to be a good man, someone to trust and care about. Mr. Callen asked that I make sure you're okay and to get you whatever help you need. Mr. Hanna is proud to call you 'partner' and I think that the men and women of the LAPD are coming around to that as well. Please do not feel that you cannot come to me if you need the help. Mr. Getz is only an airplane ride away and he's willing to come." She looked up and saw Kensi standing in the bullpen awaiting her partner. "Someone is here for you. LAPD expects you to be at the O'Reilly funeral. Don't let me keep you. Shoo, get out of here."

Deeks stood and for one moment remembered another woman who used the word 'shoo." He walked around the desk and hugged the little ninja. "Thanks for the tea and the talk. I'll take advantage of that help if I need it."

The hug actually surprised Hetty Lange. "You do that Mr. Deeks. Now go before you're late." She straightened the lapel of his uniform and shined his badge with her cuff."

Deeks turned and went out to his partner, friend and lover. He smiled down into her eyes and they left the building.

Hetty sat back down and opened her computer but never looked at it. She sipped her tea and smiled.


End file.
